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were present at the time of my visit. Of the 13 lost 5 died, 5 were discharged, and 3 were dropped from the rolls.

A review of the officers and members was held on September 24, 1901. The prescribed color insignia was not worn by the officers. The officers marched in the review, and the ceremony was very well executed; it was preceded by "escort to the colors." On the date of the review there were 4,644 members present at the Branch, and of these 2,140, or about 46 per cent, were in line. This is a slight improvement as regards numbers over the showing made at the inspection the previous year. The Home band of 39 pieces, which includes the drum corps, participated. The band is a good one and added interest to the occasion with its music. All the members were in uniform and marched in the review.

Of the members present at the Branch and absent from the review, footing up 2,492, there were 828 sick, 800 on extra and other duty, 776 excused, and 88 absent for other causes.

Discipline.

The principal offenses are said to be intemperance and absence without leave, and the penalties attached are work without pay, restriction of passes, and confinement in the guardhouse. No fines are imposed. There are three kinds of passes in use. First, card pass, on which members go and come at will between 6 a. m. and 6 p. m.; second, transportation pass, not to exceed nine days, used by members going beyond Dayton; third, ordinary pass for a day or more, used when transportation is not required. At date of inspection there was one member in confinement, and the longest sentence being served was 50 days' work without pay. During the year there were 2,958 trials, 1,027 of which were for drunkenness, 1,055 for absence without leave, and 876 for other offenses. Of the total number of members tried 1,374 were tried once, 275 twice, and 269 more than twice. Seventy-two per cent of the members are said to have committed no offense. This is not quite so good a showing as for the preceding year, though the impression obtained as to the discipline was very favorable, especially when the large membership and the multifarious demands occasioned by it are taken into consideration. The members here seem to be well supplied with Amusements. amusements of nearly every variety, the facilities for which comprise a well-equipped theater, a finely stocked library, band, veterans' clubhouse, pool, billiards, boating, quoits, etc.

The theater has a seating capacity of 1,500, and doubtless proves a pleasurable adjunct. The amusement committee, composed of officers of the Branch, has charge of entertainments. There were 37 performances given during the year at an expenditure of $7,290, or about $197 for each performance. Members of the Branch are admitted free of charge to all performances; officers and families and all civilian employees are charged 10 cents; families of members living near the Branch pay 15 to 25 cents; and for outsiders there is a charge of from 25 to 50 cents. The revenue derived from this source for the year was $295.10, and the net cost to the post fund on account of the performances was therefore $6,994.90.

The band was maintained during the entire year with an average of 33 musicians, 29 of whom were civilians. It gave 220 concerts, 161 out of doors and 59 indoors, and all were reported well attended. There is no charge for admission to the concerts. The band was maintained during

the year at a cost of $13,142.36. The leader of the band is compensated at the rate of $125 per month; the members receive $21.25, and the civilian musicians get $24.09 per month. The civilian musicians are quartered on the second floor of the post-fund building, and receive the same fuel and ration allowances as members of the Branch; their clothing allowance is a full band uniform. There are two band stands, one on the campus and one at the hospital, and both were found in good condition. The open-air concerts at the stand on the campus are very popular with the members, and the number of iron benches for their accommodation are hardly adequate.

The library is a fine three-story brick building, centrally located, and was found in good condition. It contained at date of inspection 22,827 volumes. This Branch Home is conspicuous from a library standpoint, the number of volumes being more than twice as great as at any other branch. Five hundred and thirty-two volumes were added during the year, and of these 230 were purchased and 302 presented. Only 12 voluines were disposed of during the year, and these were lost in the mess-hall fire of April 19, 1901. The current literature comprises 231 papers and 42 periodicals, some of which are subscribed for and others are furnished free. Books taken from the library must be returned within two weeks and can not be taken from the Home grounds. The number of books read or circulated during the year was 40,983, and the average daily attendance in the reading room-a spacious chamber-was about 550. The ten books most read by the members are said to be: The Hidden Hand; In Connection with the De Willoughby Claim; Chevalier de Mason-rouge; Constable of the Tower; The Tower of London; Gentleman from Indiana; Sophia; To Have and to Hold; Janice Meredith; Giles Ingilby.

Facilities for meetings, reading, pool and billiards, card games, etc., are provided in the veterans' clubhouse, a fine two story and basement brick, constructed with the special view of meeting the wants of the members. There are 5 billiard tables, 6 pool tables, 1 bagatelle, and 1 pigeonhole table, and 4 shovelboards. The tables. were in good condition, are free for the use of the members, and are said to be almost constantly in use during the time the rooms are open. There are 18 card tables which are used for the various card games, and it is reported that more members would play if there were more room. Other indoor games, such as chess, checkers, backgammon, etc., are indulged in by the members at the clubhouse, in barracks, and hospital every week day.

Five societies, with a total membership of 742, are represented at the Branch, and include the Grand Army of the Republic, Union Veteran Union, Union Veteran Legion, Naval Veterans, and Soldiers and Sailors Auxiliary to Woman's Christian Temperance Union. Of the foregoing the last named has the largest enrollment, the Grand Army of the Republic being second, and the Union Veteran Legion third.

The large population at this Branch necessitates Religious services. increased facilities for the holding of religious services as compared with the other Branches, and there are 2 buildings for this purpose, one known as the chapel and the other as additional chapel. The combined seating capacity of the two is 1,000. There are 2 chaplains, both of whom live on the Home grounds. One of them is paid $125 and the other $110 per month, and in addition they are furnished with quarters, fuel, and light, and the Protestant

chaplain is also furnished forage for one horse. The services are reported fairly well attended, the average being 350 for the Protestants and 500 for the Catholics. Services are held daily by the Catholics and six times a week by the Protestants, and in addition to conducting these services, the chaplains visit the sick in hospital and barracks and officiate at funerals.

Farm.

The farm comprises 285 acres. There are 12 buildings, mostly frame, which are in fairly good condition for old buildings. The transportation consists of 14 2-horse wagons, 9 1-horse wagons, 7 1-horse carts, 4 buggies, and 9 other vehicles-43 in all-and 22 public animals. There are 14 private vehicles and 7 private horses. A charge of 25 cents per day is made for keeping a private horse not entitled to forage, and this does not include the care of the horse. Horses and cattle no longer required on the farm are condemned and sold. During the past fiscal year there was received from the farm 103 tons of hay, 22 tons of straw, 76 tons of fodder, 1,655 bushels of oats, and 1,099 bushels of corn.

There is a herd of 30 cows, and the yield of milk during the year was 27,955 gallons. Milk was quoted in the nearest town at 13 cents per gallon, so that this quantity of milk, if bought, would have cost $3,634.15.

The value and disposition of the farm products during the year were:

Turned into commissary

Fed to stock

Sold...

Total.

$2,813. 57 2, 581.69 1,921. 26

7,316.52

Among some of the more important items may be mentioned milk, valued at $2,795.50; hay, $1,369.52; corn, $893.52; oats, $496.50, and fodder, $456.

The cost of maintaining farm proper was reported as $4,166.11, and that of the transportation and teams, $3,453.70.

The number of employees on the farm, flower garden and lawn, and in teaming footed up 95. Of these, 58 were employed on the flower garden and lawn, 22 in teaming, and 15 on farm.

Disbursements.

The receipts and disbursements were examined from September 15, 1900, to September 19, 1901, and the following is a summary of the transactions under the

general and posts funds:

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This balance was all on deposit in the National Bank of Commerce, New York City, and the Third National Bank, Dayton, Ohio, except cash on hand, as follows, viz:

Pension fund

General fund

$4.05 154.07

Although due notice had been given some weeks previous, the proper preparations had not been made for the inspection of the treasurer's office, which caused unnecessary delay.

Account of Capt. J. C. Michie, superintendent of post fund.

Balance on hand September 15, 1900

By sales

By collections

Total to be accounted for

Expended

Balance on hand September 19, 1901 ...

$7, 419. 35 142, 308. 48 4,000.00

153, 727.83 143, 938. 21

9, 789.62

This balance, with the exception of $205.75 cash on hand, was on deposit in the Third National Bank, Dayton, Ohio.

The receipts and expenditures under this fund for General fund. the fiscal year ending June 30, 1901, were $623,611.55 and $579,650.99, respectively. All disbursements were made by check. There was received during the year $21,753.98 on posthumous accounts, and $8,869.22 was paid to heirs and legal representatives.

Open-market purchases to the number of 1,075, involving the expenditure of $16,054.11, were made during the year. The principal openmarket purchases were for general commissary supplies, repairs, vegetables, and drugs. All other purchases were made by contract, and the principal articles of food were obtained from dealers in Ohio, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Missouri, and Michigan.

The number of employees authorized under the general fund during the year was 1,033, and the average daily number employed was 886, consisting of 8 officers, 51 noncommissioned officers, 758 members, and 69 civilians. The amount paid out in salaries to these employees was $165,775.56, and of this sum $126,322.87 went to the officers and members, and $39,452.69 to the civilians. The average daily pay of

each was as follows, viz: Officers, $5.55; civilians, $1.84; noncommissioned officers, 62 cents, and members, 34. As compared with the preceding year there is a loss of 1 noncommissioned officer, and an increase of 21 members and 33 civilians, or a net increase of 53 employees.

There was a daily average of 300 members who worked without pay during the year, mostly dining-room, kitchen, and camp-police work.

Post fund.

There were built from this fund during the year two new propagating houses to replace the old ones which were in bad condition. One hundred new iron benches were purchased for use on cement walks, and additional walks were put down. By authority of the Board of Managers, $7,500 was borrowed from the post fund to make repairs to the mess hall, which was injured by fire, the post fund to be reimbursed when proper appropriations are available. The reported cost of the mess-hall repairs was $5,995.

The receipts under this fund during the year amounted to $142,990.51, and the disbursements on account of stock and other expenditures amounted to $151,731.59. It is reported that the business was conducted at a loss during the year of $18,952.05, which was stated to be due to the decrease in value of property by appraisement, but to the very defective method of destroying the beer checks is doubtless due much of the loss. The principal revenues accruing to this fund are derived from profits of sales at the beer hall, Home store, hotel, and restaurant. Of these, the best revenue producer is the beer hall, where 225,216 gallons of beer was sold last year.

The check on business in the beer hall is by the usual system of tickets or check. These are destroyed by a member of the Branch, who is a subordinate clerk in the office of the officer having charge of the post fund. The amount received for a barrel of beer at this Branch is from $1.50 to $2 less than at some of the other Branches. The officer informed me that in future he would personally superintend the destruction of the checks.

This fund gave employment to 3 noncommissioned officers, 80 members, and 56 civilians, or a total of 138 men, to whom were paid in salaries the sum of $28,875.34. As compared with the preceding year, there is an increase of 3 employees, all members.

Pension fund.

At the close of the year there were 5,236 pensioners on the rolls, of whom 4,014 were then present. The amount disbursed in pensions during the year was $723,672.86, about two-thirds in currency and the balance by check. The balance due at the close of the year was $62,459.42, which was held to the credit of 844 pensioners in amounts ranging from $100 to $1,000 or more. About 80 per cent of the whole number had amounts to their credit of from $100 to $500. The pension rates range from $6 to $72 per month. There are two pensioners drawing the maximum rate.

Barracks.

There are 30 barracks, 17 brick and 13 frame. All the wooden barracks are old style and lack many of the conveniences of the more modern barracks.

These

barracks were originally intended for 3,701 men and are now occupied by 3,842. None of the barracks have basements; 12 have cellars for the storage of property. At date of inspection 41 men were sleeping on floors and 18 others were sleeping in places not originally built for

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